The Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has held a mediatory parley with the President and CEO of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) over the raging controversies about the quality of petroleum products from the Dangote petrochemicals and oil refinery company.
Last week, after days of bickering, the NMDPRA alleged that the Dangote refinery was not licensed for operations, a claim that sparked negative reactions from some section of the public as most commentators blamed the agency for such a major regulatory flaw.
However, the Dangote Refinery’s management had flawed the allegation and called on the National Assembly to conduct an independent investigation into the allegation with a view to determining its authenticity or otherwise.
A statement issued on Monday by the Special Adviser Media and Communication to the minister, Nneamaka Okafor, indicated that the meeting had in attendance the NMDPRA’s CEO, Farouk Ahmed; the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engr. Gbenga Komolafe and the Group Chief Executive Officer the NNPCL, Mele Kyari.
The minister’s aide stated that the industry top players thanked the minister for his intervention in a bid to resolve the issues.
He clarified: “The meeting focused on finding a sustainable and lasting solution to the current impasse affecting the Dangote Refinery, with all parties demonstrating a commitment to collaborative and proactive problem-solving.”
According to him, at the meeting Lokpobiri restated the importance of cooperation among stakeholders to ensure the success of the oil and gas sector which he said is critical to Nigeria’s economic growth and energy security.
Okafor further stated: “This meeting marks a significant step towards resolving the challenges and underscores the Minister’s dedication to fostering a conducive environment for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.”
